


Atonement

by Tarlan



Series: Marks of Daggoth [4]
Category: Darklight (2004)
Genre: Horror, M/M, Redemption, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-03
Updated: 2007-01-03
Packaged: 2017-10-15 07:34:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/158525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anders is given his first opportunity to atone for his sins and finds he has one more to add to the list, that of loving another man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Atonement

**Author's Note:**

> In answer to a challenge set by PEJA: I've got an easy little challenge for ya. an improv, only rules are that you use the list of words below in a story or poem of any length
> 
> velvet, Eerie castle, chill, goblin(s). four poster bed and the phrase 'okay, so I lied'

The group of drunken kids giggled as they snuck into the old burial chamber at the center of the old stone circle, none of them taking it too seriously as one of them drew a pentagram with two points up and copied down symbols from a parchment older than the Pyramids. Geri drew lines of power to guide the forces of darkness, and giggled when one of the boys threw up spectacularly before finishing her work with a flourish.

"So...who's going to add the blood?"

Jason grabbed Brad's hand and stabbed his finger with one of the tiny spring-loaded lancets from his brother's blood glucose testing kit.

"Ow!"

"Oh don't be such a baby. My brother does this a couple of times a day and he doesn't make a fuss."

He squeezed out several droplets of blood onto the pentagram where Geri indicated, and they all sniggered anew as they tried to remain serious while chanting an incantation.

No one except Geri expected anything to happen so she was the only one disappointed when they all gave up, one by one, staggering off into the night to find their warm beds until only Jason was left. As far as Jason was concerned, it was all a game of playing into Geri's delusions of becoming a witch like those hot women in Charmed so he could get into her panties. She pulled off her t-shirt and his fingers, made clumsy from alcohol, had trouble undoing her bra clasp but it gave way eventually, her firm young breasts falling into his palms. He rubbed his thumbs over the large brown nipples before bending over to suckle at first one and then the other. She grabbed his hair and pulled him back up, lying back and drawing him down to cover her, mouths mashing together as his hand pushed up her short skirt and pulled down her panties. He fumbled with his jeans, shoving them halfway down his thighs as she spread her legs around his body, opening herself to him. She gasped as he pushed inside, rocking with him as he thrust in and out, her voice rising in a keening wail as she trembled through her first climax, only then coming to her senses.

"Pull out, pull out!"

He came hard even as he pulled away, gasping as his semen splattered across the pentagram, collapsing into a drunken, sated heap upon the strange markings. Distantly, he thought he heard her scream as his body seemed to stretch out, his mind slipping away into forever darkness.

***

Lilith leaned forward on the table and stared at the images on the screen, taken from a British crime unit's film evidence. Someone had opened the gates to Hell in that ancient tomb, releasing one of the soulless demons that would bring more death and pestilence to the world. The young woman had been ruptured internally by whatever creature had sodomized her body, and left her to bleed out once it had taken all her strength.

"Any ideas?"

Even in the dim light, Shaw looked ashen as he stared at the harrowing image of a young girl dead before her time.

"One of the lust demons. A succubus or incubus, probably a demon that is both. It took her...her anal virginity and nothing more." She looked at the Prefect. "It'll keep on taking; male or female, young or old, until it is stopped." She gazed intently at the Prefect. "I will not be able to destroy it alone. I will need Anders."

The Prefect nodded as if he had already come to that conclusion but Shaw was not convinced.

"He's too unstable. He's only been here three months and..."

"And you care deeply for him, and fear for him." The Prefect smiled gently, the wisdom and compassion in his eyes stopping the denial falling from Shaw's lips.

"I...I never..."

The Prefect leaned forward and placed a hand on Shaw's forearm. "There is no shame in desiring, and loving another."

"He's too...inexperienced. He--"

The Prefect held up his hand. "He held the whole world to ransom, spreading the Red Plague until stopped by you and Lilith. He is strong enough to help Lilith now, and he has chosen to help mankind in both demonicos and human form."

Shaw nodded tightly, unwilling to argue with the Prefect.

***

Upon leaving the conference room, Shaw went straight to the laboratory where Anders worked under constant surveillance. The geneticist had sold his soul for the darklight taken from Lilith's body and for a means to increase longevity in humans. Unlike most demons, his soul had been bought by a more enlightened being, by a compassionate God who had heard the prayers of a father. Like Lilith, Anders had been given the chance to redeem himself, the marks of Daggoth seared into his flesh that could only be removed by acts of great faith, self-sacrifice, love and compassion.

Anders seemed to sense his presence and turned, a smile gracing his soft lips and his blue eyes shining with pleasure, the sight alone setting up a fluttering in Shaw's belly and sending heat to his groin. He had not felt this way about another man since his youth, when sexual experimentation with a close friend had seemed so good and so right. On a psychological note, he understood that part of his re-emerging desire for another man was born out of his trauma with women. Although he had forgiven her now, Lilith had killed his only child. Unable to cope with the grief, the mother of his son had deserted him too, reneging on their marriage vows and leaving him to grieve alone. He did not want another woman in his life beyond his working relationship with Lilith. He did not want to feel a woman's soft curves or surrender to her body. Yet, no man had tempted him before Anders Raeborne and part of Shaw wondered if it was the demonicos that lured him in as much as the beauty of the man. Strong and intelligent, and with a body that had lost all signs of soft living over the past months, leaving him firm and muscular. Long sinful lashes fluttered over eyes the color of the sky on the clearest winter morning, a deep and vivid blue. A soft, open mouth beckoned him, tongue darting out to wet his lips until they glistened, entrancing him, and begging him for kisses.

Common legend had it that Lilith was the original succubus, and Anders was reborn from her darklight, but Shaw refused to believe that this alone was responsible for the increasing desire he felt for Anders. The loneliness he sensed in Anders matched his own, making him want to reach out for both their sakes. What had started as a means to sate curiosity, to find out more about the demon kind, had become so much more, talking into the night about their fractured hopes and dreams, of betrayal and love lost. Quickly, he had begun to enjoy Anders sharp mind and dark humor, and to welcome the tiny smiles that grew bolder with each passing day, spent together. Now, he could not conceive of a life without Anders, seeing his shy smile and sparkling blue eyes, or watching his agile hands work miracles of modern science, while his incredible intellect stunned those around him.

The thought of Anders flying off in demonicos form to battle with another of his kind was terrifying as Shaw knew that he could not be there to watch his back. He had to trust Lilith to do that for him and he was surprised that she both understood and was willing to do so. Perhaps the other legends that Lilith had adored her offspring were also true, or maybe she was learning the true meaning of friendship and kinship. Whatever the case, he had to put his faith in her and, silently, he prayed that she would not let him down.

Anders' smile faltered. "What is it?"

"A demon has broken through into this world."

Anders nodded, his eyes drifting over Shaw's shoulder but Shaw did not need to turn around to know that Lilith had followed him. She spoke softly.

"We need to find it, and destroy it."

"No redemption?" asked Anders, and Shaw could understand his question because of his own situation several months earlier and yet it was Lilith who answered.

"It has no soul to redeem." She stepped all the way into the laboratory. "You and I are different, Anders. We are humans with human souls who can take demon form. Our thoughts and hopes, dreams and nightmares...our loves and hates are the same in whichever form we take. This demon has its own thoughts and merely possesses a human, transforming human flesh to demon to do its bidding."

Lilith stepped forward and placed a small hand on Anders' forearm. "No matter what happens, you must remain demonicos during the battle. You cannot battle it in human form for it will feed off you, and then destroy what remains."

"It's too soon for him to--" Shaw snarled but Lilith turned and grasped Shaw's face in her hands.

"He must. I can't do this alone." She turned back to Anders. "We'll leave within the hour."

"How you gonna get there?"

Lilith grinned. "Fastest method. We fly!"

***

Lilith was still grinning as they settled into their seats, knowing Shaw had expected her and Anders to take demon form, extend their wings, and take off. However, why waste energy flying four thousand miles to England when they could sit back and form a battle strategy in the comfort of The Faith's private jet.

Once the jet reached altitude and the 'seat belt' sign was switched off, they moved towards the conference room. Although not quite as big as Airforce One, the jet held several private rooms as well as work areas for those traveling on missions. As they walked through the luxurious plane, Lilith felt the tang of fear in the air, knowing that she and Anders were the cause. For all intents and purposes, the full-humans onboard were locked into this plane with two demons and no escape, and Lilith felt a measure of pride that they could place so much trust in her, knowing that Anders was still more of an unknown quantity.

She watched as Shaw took up a seat on the long bench next to Anders, subconsciously betraying his trust and his desire to be with the newborn demon. There was not a lot they could plan in advance for Lilith could only guess what kind of demon lay ahead of them. All she did know was that this was a foul creature that had been locked in Hell for a long time, seething and jealous, its mind consumed by a need to taste human souls, drawing a soul from an unwilling body through sexual gratification. It would not be one of the lesser demons, and it would be hard to kill.

Eventually, with a basic plan worked out, Lilith turned her attention away to study more of the new world in which she found herself. She might have been the first demon to ever walk the Earth, born at the dawn of time, but her memories of the passing millennia were lost in a hazy mist of pain and suffering. Every once in a while, a memory would sharpen, bringing back the horror of what she had been, and what she might return to if she could not find redemption.

As she watched Anders, seeing the way he was slowly reaching back to William Shaw, she hoped this 'child' would be spared the millennia full of suffering. She hoped he would not fall into Hell, losing his fragile soul to the demons below that would consume him.

***

Anders felt pleasure ripple through him as Shaw touched his arm, the fingers seeping more than human heat into his chilled flesh; they warmed his starving soul too. For too long he had been without even the most basic human comfort. His work had taken control of his life for such a long time, his determination to succeed overriding everything, including his compassion and respect for the very lives he wanted to prolong. He had wanted to please his father, had wanted to see love and respect in his father's eyes and it had taken all of these past months for him to accept that the love had never died. His father loved him and had always loved him. What he could not do right now was respect Anders even though he had, unknowingly at the time, benefited from Anders' research.

Anders knew he ought to regret the deaths of his former colleagues but the heat of betrayal still coiled in his belly. What he did regret, though, were the deaths of the innocent men and women used in his research. He knew he ought to feel guilt for those who died from the Red Plague too but the Prefect refused to allow him to accept responsibility for those deaths. Chapel had funded Anders' research, had given him the facilities and even the darklight. He had used Anders' estrangement from his peers and from his father against him, fueling his hatred and sense of unworthiness, pressing him on to succeed and prove to the rest of the world that he was right in his beliefs, that he could hold back death itself. In hindsight, Anders could see how Chapel had manipulated him into taking those risks with his subjects, lying to him and leading him to believe that those men and women had agreed to be experimented upon, that their lives were almost over anyway.

Ignorance was no excuse, though, for he should have seen through the lie. In truth, he had been blinded by his own desire to see his work come to fruition, to bask in the glory and adoration from his peers.

Others had taken on his work now under his father's supervision, having decided not to waste all the progress he had made, for that would have been an even greater sin. Anders' was uncertain as to which the greater punishment was; having his life's work taken away from him, or losing his freedom, because he knew The Faith would never let him go. He would remain with them until either he died or he redeemed himself in the eyes of God.

What he had not expected was to find hope in his darkest hours. He had not expected to find friendship and possibly even love with another man, and this scared him. He was afraid that this attraction between them was because of what he had become rather than for the human part of him, worried that this was just another sign of his fall from grace; for didn't the Bible have laws against men loving men? Yet, if this was so very wrong then what hope did he have of finding redemption when he could see only good in William Shaw?

When Lilith left them alone several hours later, closing the door to the conference room behind her to give them privacy, Anders knew from the gentle smile on her smile that she had no objections to whatever was between him and Shaw. It surprised him that, after all that had happened he could feel the flush of embarrassment heat his cheeks. What was more interesting was that Shaw looked equally flustered.

"I don't want you to do this."

Anders knew he spoke of the upcoming battle. "And I don't want to either...but I don't have much of a choice."

"You have a choice. You can leave."

"And go where? There's no place on Earth I can hide from The Faith, and I can't see them allowing a renegade demon to just...flap around the world."

"Lilith won't hurt you."

"I can be banished by humans too...and sent to Hell."

"And if you die before the marks are lifted?"

"Maybe I'll get bonus points for trying to do good." He snorted softly but the thought of 'dying' and being banished to Hell terrified him. As much as three months ago, he had not believed in heaven and hell; he had not believed in God or angels or demons. Anders flinched when Shaw cupped his face, rubbing a thumb over his lips. "Don't."

Shaw pulled his hand back quickly, his eyes momentarily filling with hurt before they hardened. Anders reached for him as he started to turn away, grasping his arm and forcing Shaw to look at him.

"I'm damned, Shaw. And I don't want you to be damned with me." He swallowed hard. "You don't deserve that."

Shaw studied his face for a moment and then his eyes softened; he nodded gently and relaxed, satisfied for now with whatever he had found in Anders' eyes. He reached out again and brushed his thumb over Anders' lips and, this time, Anders let him, closing his eyes as Shaw leaned in, replacing his thumb with his own lips as they kissed gently for the first time.

"If I'm gonna be damned, I'd rather be damned with you," he whispered between kisses, his hands reaching beneath Anders' dark t-shirt, sending desire racing through Anders as he felt the warm hands caressing his skin. Anders arched into the kiss, only partially aware of the hand that stroked downwards to slide between skin and clothing, brushing over one asscheek before dragging him closer.

They tumbled down onto the long, wide bench seat that most likely doubled for a bed, no longer trying to be gentle. Demanding kisses and hard caresses brought Anders straining against Shaw, needing more, needing it all. He sobbed as Shaw bit down hard on his throat while his deft fingers opened Anders' pants and drew out his already hard flesh, wrapping those fingers around him. Every stroke brought him maddenly closer to release, his breaths coming in short gasps as a subtle twist and the exquisite pressure of a callused thumb sent him flying in ecstasy, his wail of pleasure muffled by Shaw's mouth pressed hard over his.

***

It stretched out its human limbs and smiled as it stared into the full length mirror, mesmerized by the beauty of the human body it had taken over. It was young and strong with pleasing features and soft grey eyes. Its mouth was luscious, red and swollen from sated lust. Its eyes flickered to the smears of red splattered across its body and, on an impulse, it stroked a finger through a smear and brought it to its lips, tasting the life-blood of its latest victim. On the bed behind it, reflected in the mirror, were the remains of another young male. He had lasted longer than all of its previous victims but now it recalled that males were often stronger than females.

Perhaps it ought to seek out more males, it thought, eyes flaring red for just a moment as its true self was revealed.

***

Chapters of The Faith were spread all over the world so Shaw was not surprised when the jet landed at a private airstrip in the south west of England. He recognized the robed man who approached, recalling him from past meetings when the head of each Chapter met to discuss their work in keeping mankind safe until the true Judgment Day.

Deputy Prefect Keller bowed slightly, his keen eyes moving between Lilith and Anders with undisguised interest. He smiled graciously, showing none of the fear that most others displayed when meeting with two demons.

"My apologies but time is short. The demon has already taken five more innocent souls as you made your way across the world. It will not stop until it has been sent back to whence it came from."

Lilith nodded tightly and looked first to Shaw and then to Anders. She looked up at the slowly darkening sky. The sun was already setting and they could move easier under cover of darkness. "We're ready."

Lilith took several steps away and began to transform swiftly, her demonic form a terrible beauty, reminding Shaw of old Greek Mythology; of the Sphinx with the head of a beautiful woman, of the Harpies and the Gorgon sisters. Shaw stepped forward before Anders could draw away from them, grasping his arms. He motioned towards the helicopter standing close by.

"I'll be tracking you both in case you need help."

Anders nodded, his attention momentarily snatched away as Lilith beat her wings and lifted into the air. On the spur of the moment, he leaned in and kissed Shaw hard. Anders turned and moved away quickly before Shaw could catch hold of him, running towards Lilith's hovering form and transforming with each step until his great wings were beating, lifting him away to follow her in the night.

Offering a quick nod of gratitude to Keller, Shaw raced towards the helicopter, pleased to see that the pilot was already anticipating him and starting her up. The helicopter rose swiftly and banked hard, heading after the two demons. He frowned when he could not get a fix on either Lilith or Anders. The subcutaneous transmitters placed under their skin ought to have shown their location, but either they had already flown out of range, or something in their demon make-up had nullified the transmissions. He slammed his hand down hard onto the metal in front of him, ignoring the way the pilot tensed.

"Control, this is Shaw. Are you tracking them?"

"Shaw, this is Control. We were... all the way across the Atlantic but their signals disappeared the moment they turned."

"I thought these damn devices had been thoroughly tested."

"So had we, Mr. Shaw."

"Deputy Prefect?"

"Yes, it is I. I would suggest you return to the castle. Perhaps we will be able to track their prey instead."

Shaw shook his head slowly in frustration but he knew there was nothing he could do except fly around in circles wasting fuel. He had told Anders that he'd be watching their backs but how could he do that when he had no clue as to where they had gone. What if something happened to Lilith...or to Anders? Damn it, he thought. Anders shouldn't have been made to do this so soon. Demon or not, he had no hunting and battle skills beyond using that damn crossbow. He was tempted to punch the helicopter innards again but could see wariness in the pilot's eyes.

"Turn us around. We're going back."

"Affirmative."

Shaw slumped in his seat and stared out into the dark night sky, barely noting the starry heavens above the hazy glow of the town lights as the helicopter banked more slowly this time.

***

Anders wondered if Lilith had some inbuilt radar for tracking demons because she seemed to know where she was going, barely altering course as they flew almost side-by-side. Often she would glance across at him, her smile strangely beautiful. In comparison to her, he knew he was hideous and he began to wonder what type of demon he had become because he was not like her despite having her darklight in his blood. Perhaps this hideous exterior was a reflection of the evil inside him but then, wouldn't Lilith be more hideous still for she had spent millennia tearing into human flesh?

It had not occurred to him until this moment that he had so much to learn about himself, and about what he had become. The Faith would have most of the answers, and Lilith probably knew all the rest. He also had to decide what he wanted with Shaw. He snorted softly attracting a glance from Lilith. He knew exactly what he wanted from Shaw. He wanted more of what they had shared onboard the jet. He wanted to feel Shaw's arms around him, holding him and loving him. He wanted more of the demanding kisses and the hot hands that roved over his body, touching and caressing, stroking along thigh, hip and ass. He wanted to belong to someone...to Shaw.

Lilith hissed suddenly, dragging him away from his need-filled thoughts and even he could scent the other demon now, cloying and sickly like a heavy perfume or drug to bring lethargy to its prey. They swooped down to find it cornering another victim, a young boy who had wandered too far from home. Anders could feel the boy's fear beneath the heaviness of his limbs as the demon tore at his clothing before covering him with its human form.

Lilith grabbed for Anders as he prepared to strike at it, to drag it from the boy.

"We cannot tear it from its victim. We'll have to wait until it is done and then--"

Anders looked at her in shock. It was one thing to callously use dying people for his research but another to stand by idly while a boy, little more than a child, was murdered in front of him. Yes, he had killed; he had murdered his former colleagues but that was in revenge for their betrayal of him and his work, and he had allowed others to die before their time in the belief that their deaths had meaning, that his research would save millions. This was different.

He directed his shock at her, his denial and disagreement.

"No, Anders! You cannot attack him in human form. You will die."

But Anders realized what he had to do, the only thing he could do to save the boy. He dropped to the ground within twenty feet of the demon and changed to human form, knowing his scent would attract the creature.

"Demon!" He called out strongly. "Why waste time with a weak child when I'm standing right here."

The demon in human form turned, eyes flaring to burning red as it stared at Anders' naked form. It dropped the boy and stalked towards Anders, the sweetness exuding from its body overcoming Anders, paralyzing him when every instinct was telling him to run, to take demon form and take flight. It reached for him, cold fingers dragging along his jaw line, down his throat and across his chest. Inside, Anders was screaming, begging his body to move but he could not even lift a finger to save himself. Beyond the demon, he could see Lilith grabbing the boy and taking him to safety and the fear within him eased. Perhaps this was the way it was meant to be, giving up his life and facing eternal damnation to save another. His only regret was for William Shaw and the love that had grown between them so quickly; a love that would die here. Anders closed his eyes as the demon licked at his face, its hands squeezing and sliding intimately were he had wanted only Shaw's touch, fingers gliding down between his asscheeks, teasing at the virgin entrance to his body.

He could not move, talk not speak but he hoped Lilith could read his last thought. 'Tell Shaw I loved him.'

The creature screeched suddenly and tore away from Anders, releasing him from its black spell long enough for Anders to take demon form. It screamed again as Lilith tore down from the sky and ripped into the human flesh housing the creature.

"Tell him yourself," she hissed through sharp teeth.

The creature exploded out of its fragile human shell, blood and gore splattering in all directions, releasing the vile creature within. Strengthened by its recent feeds, it charged at Anders, sensing him to be the weakest but Lilith was faster, her talons gouging into tough demon flesh even as Anders fought off the attack from the front. Between them, they ripped and tore into the creature until Lilith caught its weak spot. Demon ichor sprayed over them both as its head separated from its body, turning to dust that was picked up and swirled around by a sudden breeze like a miniature twister before disappearing into the earth.

Exhausted, Anders sank to the ground, his arms and wings wrapping around his body. He felt Lilith settle beside him, felt a cold hand brush over his hair as he became human once more.

"Why did it let me go?"

"Because it couldn't fight against true love."

The pain hit him before he could question her further; fire burning in his arm, traveling upwards to his throat. He clawed at his flesh with blunted fingernails, his own blood slicking his fingers until he felt something bright and hot in the palm of his hand. Anders stared at the familiar symbol as it faded and crumpled to dust in his hand. In shock, he looked to Lilith as she became human and reached for his arm, turning it over to check the marks of Daggoth etched into his flesh.

One was gone.

Her grin was joyous and she hugged him tightly, knowing her first atonement had come from sacrificing herself for another, just as Anders had sacrificed himself for the boy.

***

The demonicos landed with far more grace than on previous flights though, admittedly, it had not had so much room to maneuver before. Its clawed feet flattened to support its weight, its massive, membrane wings beating the air slowly to maintain balance. It raised its head, its orange eyes glowing as it opened its mouth and flicked out the proboscis that had dealt death in the form of the Red Plague only months before. Long, talon fingers in mottled green and brown twitched in the air as if seeking something to grasp, something vile dripping from the tips.

It was fully aware of the humans huddled at one end of the small courtyard, no doubt sensing their fear, and it turned its thick carapace-head towards them, proboscis whipping out to taste the fear in the air before them. It beat its wings more rapidly, its body lifting off the ground by several inches, stretching until the armor of bone forming ribcage and lower body separated to fully reveal its thin, almost translucent and vulnerable torso. In this form it was genderless and yet anyone who looked would suspect that it was male.

Shaw knew it was male because he knew the creature in its human form, had seen the transformation from human to demonicos and back to human several times over the past few months. He stepped forward without fear, convinced that it would not harm him, even though it had tried to kill him the first time they had come face to face in this form.

"Anders?"

The proboscis lashed out with precision, pulling back so it brushed his cheek rather than tore into his flesh. He could not stop the tiny tremor that raced through at the touch, almost a caress; a soft lick that teased at nerve endings and fired something in his belly. Behind him, Shaw heard gasps of fear and put out a hand to reassure those behind him. He walked forward slowly, watching the demonicos as it hovered lazily a foot above the ground, feeling the downdraft from its leathery wings. It settled to the ground as Shaw stopped barely a foot away, its wings sweeping forward slowly to enfold Shaw, bony but muscular arms folding around him too, with one settling around his waist as the hard palm of the other hand cupped the back of his head and neck. The proboscis had withdrawn back into the creature's mouth, revealing sharp spikes of teeth behind velvet-soft leathery lips.

Without a second thought, Shaw tipped back his head and craned up until he could press his own lips against the creature's, against Anders', reaching up to hold the carapace head between his hands. He felt the movement of the proboscis tentatively flicking out a fraction, felt the pleasure of his tongue meeting it, tasting it. He pressed up harder, feeling the lips soften beneath his, feeling the hard body yielding too, becoming softer, warmer, shrinking swiftly until Shaw was the taller of them. Baby-soft, fine hair tumbled over his fingers and the tongue gently entwining with his became blunt and moist until he was left with a human in his arms. He pulled back from the kiss and watched long, brown eyelashes flicker, opening to reveal deep blue depths instead of glowing orange.

"Anders," he whispered again before kissing the naked man whose arms were still wrapped around him possessively.

A gentle laugh had them both looking towards the back of the courtyard and Shaw shook his head and smiled as Lilith transformed from demon to beautiful woman before their eyes.

"Aren't you going to ask how it went?" she asked with a smile in her voice.

"You both came back alive so I figured it went well."

Anders frowned. "What I want to know is how she manages to keep her clothes." Neither of them mentioned the gore splattered down one side.

Shaw slid his hand down the warm broad back to cup a bare asscheek, carefully skirting a glob of what looked like demon ichor in the shape of a handprint. "Don't see me complaining, do you?"

The flush of embarrassed heat flooded across Anders' face and he accepted the thin dark robe that he had not noticed Shaw was holding until that moment, using Shaw's body as a dignity shield as he shrugged into the robe and tightened the sash.

"We're both nude in demon form." Lilith stated with an unabashed grin. "And after all that's happened to you, are you really so concerned with human nudity?"

"So says the woman who transforms back to human in whatever clothing she was wearing before turning demon," Anders replied snidely but Lilith merely laughed again, sliding her hand across his back in an almost motherly gesture but then, in demonic form she was his mother. She was the first of all Hell's demons, punished by God for refusing to lay with Adam in the Garden of Eden, and the darklight running through Anders' veins had come from her body.

Anders ignored her and glanced around the courtyard, looking up at the strange turrets surrounding them. He wondered how long The Faith had owned this eerie castle and felt a chill run through his body. How many other demons had come here over the millennia, to be studied and eventually destroyed? How long would they tolerate him and Lilith before they decided that the evil in them outweighed any good they could do for this world? Idly, his fingers rubbed over the raised marks of Daggoth on his inner arm but he stopped when Shaw closed his hand over Anders'.

As always, Shaw seemed to understand his unspoken thoughts and, once more, Anders wondered if that was a side effect from when he had used Shaw's body to communicate once while in demonic form.

"You're not the same as the others. You have a soul, Anders. They don't. They never had one and they never will." Uncaring of what others thought, Shaw wrapped his arm around Anders' shoulder and walked him towards the large arched doorway that led into the castle.

Anders paused on the threshold, staring into a room that might not have changed in hundreds of years. His bare feet slapped softly against the warm tiled floor as Shaw led him through the room to where a thick red drape acted partly as a draught excluder and partly to conceal a double set of doors leading into a library. Heavy tapestries hung from the walls to cover alcoves set aside for privacy. The rest of the room stood floor to high ceiling in bookshelves, the air thick with the scent of old paper. He knew that all of these old works would have been scanned into the massive library databases leaving these old books and scriptures as beautiful ornaments from a bygone age. Several computer stations were set up in the room and Shaw led him towards one.

"Once you're cleaned up, The Prefect wants to know what type of demon you and Lilith banished today. If it had a name."

Anders glanced down and saw the crudely drawn face of a demon on the monitor that looked more like a goblin, with elaborate text stating that this was the opening page on a book of demons and their spawn. He nodded.

"Am I in there?"

Shaw smiled. "No. Already told you, you're not a soulless demon."

With a firm touch, he drew Anders away, heading through another door and leading him across a large hallway to a set of stairs that spiraled upwards. On the top floor, he pushed open a large heavy door and beckoned Anders to enter. Anders felt his eyebrows rise into his hairline as he took in the mixture of ancient and modern in the spacious bedroom that was dominated by a large four-poster bed. The luxurious, thickly-piled carpet teased between his bare toes. Modern technology blended strangely with the heavy furniture and furnishings with one wall dominated by a large flat screen with a crystal clear image of an Old Master making it look more like a painting than a television. Fresh clothing was laid out on the bed as if no one had doubted that he would return. He noticed that the room had been set up for two to share and glanced coyly at Shaw.

"Bathroom's through there." Shaw indicated towards a door set near the far corner of the room and Anders knew long before walking through that door that all the plumbing would be modern and yet seem antique.

The shower was perfect; the heated water soothing muscles that were sore from the transformation, washing away the ichor and gore from the bloody battle that he and Lilith had fought only a short while ago. His first demon kill. He turned his head when the screen door opened and a waft of cooler air raised goosebumps on his flesh. Strong arms wrapped around him, a warm body pressing against his back and then he felt soft lips exploring his neck, tasting his skin and laying a path of gentle kisses from nape to jaw line before he turned his head and let their mouths meet. He moaned his appreciation and let their lips slide apart.

"You know you'll go to Hell for this." Anders shivered in pleasure as an inquisitive hand swept across his chest, fingers dragging through wet hair before tugging on a nipple. "Don't forget...it's not going to matter to me. I'm damned already."

He could feel Shaw's smile grow against his throat. "Before we left, the Prefect showed me a scripture, the original laws from before they were amended by less tolerant men. What we shared was never a sin in the beginning so The Faith doesn't consider it a sin now, no matter what the Bible says."

Anders turned in Shaw's arms, confused. "You were the one who said we'd be damned together."

"Okay, so I lied. I was...I was concerned and I wanted to give you a reason to come back to me."

"You didn't think I'd come back otherwise?" Anders watched rivulets of water run down Shaw's face as he awaited an answer, his frown deepening when Shaw smiled again.

"Yes...but not for the reason you're thinking." Shaw tilted Anders' face into the flow of water, forcing him to close his eyes. "Lilith almost killed you once and even with her on your side..." He trailed off. "You're just a baby in the demon world. A newborn against creatures almost as old as time. I wanted you to have a reason to fight with everything you had within you."

He raked his fingers through Anders' wet hair before dropping a kiss on forehead, chin, and then upon each eyelid in some gentle benediction before claiming Anders' lips in a long, slow and amazingly dirty kiss. When he drew back, Shaw reached out and turned off the shower before stepping out of the cubicle. He dried himself quickly, throwing a large towel to Anders to do the same, waiting patiently as Anders scrubbed at his wet hair. Shaw held out his hand entwining their fingers when Anders reached back to him. He drew up Anders arm and bent to plant a kiss upon the marks of Daggoth, freezing when he noticed only four instead of five.

Shaw grinned, seeing an answering joy in the deep blue eyes that met his. He knew Anders would tell him later, wanting to wait until they were warm and sated, and snuggled together. "Always wanted to make love in a four poster bed."

They tumbled onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and, many hours later, with eyes shining in love for one another, they fell asleep wrapped around each other, sated and happy, and contemplating eternity together.

END


End file.
